How Do You Think God Should Act

I have read many raging posts against Christians and in many of them I see an underlying hate of God, the idea of there being one. Most Christians either see God as a powerful, strong and demanding God or as Santa Clause, I disagree with both perspectives. Among non-believers something I frequently hear is "how can a just God allow such things"? A question they do not believe can be answered. I would like to know if there was a God then what do you think he would be like? How do you think he would control the environment? Do you expect a central heating and air God?

I have heard people say that a just God wouldn't do this or that, well, what would be a just God? Would he let you know he was there and could hear every thought you had as you had it? That would feel creepy, wouldn't it? Would it always be 70 degrees in the world? Would the earth be a static place, would only nice people be around, would we become self-sufficient? What would the world be like under the type of God you believe a God should be? How would you expect him to deal with non-believers or believers?

This is not about your current beliefs on who you have heard or believe God to be. This is sort of a design your own and then tell how the world would be different. Oh, this also assumes that you will exist forever, that eternity is real for you and me. Some may say that they wouldn't want a God at all, for them merely assume that you will live for eternity and there will be no God, just you.

well for one life should be a paradise for all who experience, it has the possibility. I already do but I don't need god.

reply to post by AQuestion


No one, knows the will of God.

What God does, is his business. We were given the ability to adapt, and change, so whatever happens, happens for a reason. It is up to us, to adjust to this change.

VvV

God should piss or get off the pot - but since he doesn't exist, it is just the right scenario for people to have 'faith' and ignore reality.

afterall, he made the banana....

I believe the Creator has left us to develop mostly on our own. We are given our own choices and must make many decisions both good and bad. The Creator allows us to do much on Earth without interfering. Unfortunately mankind is not always just and moral. In many cases we are ugly and evil. It is up to the individual to try and live the best life they can, the one that makes them happy. If they decide to be "good", then they are rewarded, whether in this life or the next. The "bad" shall be punished for their transgression in this human life. That's the gist of what I believe anyways.

Originally posted by AQuestion
.......... if there was a God then what do you think he would be like? How do you think he would control the environment?

If there was a God then it wouldn't be a "He" but more of an "It".

I think what humans call God is only Our Universe. An Energetically Aware Bubble with no Sex or anything else we would consider Human.

I don't think Control is part of the equation. Moreso it diversifies itself into everything we can and can't sense.. it starts things goin and sees where it leads.

Originally posted by AQuestion
......... well, what would be a just God? Would he let you know he was there and could hear every thought you had as you had it? ........ Would the earth be a static place, would only nice people be around, would we become self-sufficient? What would the world be like under the type of God you believe a God should be? How would you expect him to deal with non-believers or believers?

Hmm, "Just" is a human concept. So I would think "It" wouldn't be concered with the smallests parts of Itself.. like we aren't concerned about one atom in one skin cell on our arm.

Earth would still conform to the nature of Our Universe in that Change is the only real Constant.

I wouldn't expect "It" to worry over Believers and Non-Believers. If by some chance "It" decided to look at some of the atoms inside "Itself" then maybe "It" would get a good laugh from us putting human behaviours onto "It" and then Demanding it Be that way.

Originally posted by AQuestion
This is sort of a design your own and then tell how the world would be different. Oh, this also assumes that you will exist forever, that eternity is real for you and me.

The world would only be different in a few important ways.

Humans would no longer have anything to Fight about, no reason to Demonise parts of the population according to Beliefs.

We would also understand that since we are a part of everything, that what we do to any part of it we are also doing to ourselves in the long term... including the planet that supports us

And that would lead us to understand that we really are all Equal despite what we like to Believe.

But Hay!! What would I know? I'm just an old crazy Aussie

Dear Tayesin,

Thanks for answering the question. Others seemed to have missed the point, I wasn't asking if there was a God, I was asking what you want a God to be like. You would want God to be an "It", I can sort of live with that answer, I would say both (all knowing). I also like that it would let "atoms" or pieces find their own way, I like that part of your answer a lot. Kinda makes "Free will" make sense and I like free will.

I will disagree with you on something, I do care about every atom in my body, it only takes one going bad to have cancer. Regardless of that, every sentient thing matters to me (and I am not a vegetarian). As for how you say the world be different, you say wouldn't have to fight over things, we don't have to fight now, we chose to. The next statement you made regarding what we would know, would knowing the truth in advance limit our free will and self teaching?

As for being a crazy Australian, I love you guys. Heck, one of my friends is a crazy Aussie, she is 23 and travels the world without a worry. She also spent 5 weeks in Haiti as a volunteer pediatric nurse. The young lady is completely insane and I won't be surprised if the next time I hear from her she spent time in Japan helping out. By the way, she is also a "sex worker" in your country (that is not how I met her, I am much older and she rented an apartment to a friend). That raises something interesting, for you who believe what "Christians" are and what think, I have homeless person living on my couch, talk to Satanists and am a second dad to a "sex worker". When you have done the same then you can tell me what an aXX I am for believing there is a God. I used to have five homeless people in my house' but, I lost the house because of a divorce.

1. to begin, i wouldn't punish my child so severely.
2. wouldn't let my child be beaten, raped, sodomized, mamed, die of a disease, or suffer .
3. give everything i have to my child for the best, fun, joyous life within my power.
4. educate my chile about everything i know.
5. I wouldn't be jealous aginst my child,
6. I wouldn't demand their worship
7. as he communicator I would explain in a way the child can understand my expectations and intentions.
8. my child would never go to bed hungry, cold or suffer heat exhaustion.
9. ensure my chid was greedy or allow my child to harm anyne else and to openy share with others.
10. i won't allow my children to be trated unfair, wouldn't show ANY favoritism.
11. each child would receive equal everything
12. wouldn't allow anyone to harm my child in any way at all ever for any reason period!!

reply to post by TripleSalCal


left us to develop on ur own really? what a great idea, NOT.

read or watch lord of the flies and then see if thats such a good idea.

set a better example and we would not lie, cheat, steal, murder, etc..ok bye now

reply to post by rebeldog


So basically, you don't like free will. You would tell them all before they can learn on their own and control their destiny? Wow, I don't think I agree with you, I would learn myself. That is just me, I don't want club med, I want to be me; but, we don't have to agree. Thanks for your answer.

reply to post by rebeldog


I didn't say what he should be, I asked what you wanted him to be, please stay on topic. It is so simple, "What would you want a God to be". Simple, answer that question if you wish to respond. How can we have a conversation if you act like a politician and make up your own questions? Answer what asked or don't respond at all. Don't tell me about free speech if we don't have a real conversation, I will answer your questions and not dodge them. What nonsense do you wish to ask me, answer my questions first, it is my thread.

Would he let you know he was there and could hear every thought you had as you had it? That would feel creepy, wouldn't it? Would it always be 70 degrees in the world? Would the earth be a static place, would only nice people be around, would we become self-sufficient?

My understanding was that that was the plan, according to Genesis. Predictably, it is "our" fault that the plan got derailed. It is also my understanding that one way or another, in the Christian vision, there is to be some sort of Earthly Paradise again. At least there will a general bodily resurrection, possibly resulting in an off-Earthly Paradise.

Also, specifically with respect to the "hear every thought you had," that, too, is my understanding of the typical Christian and Islamic interpretation of the Hebrew God. Maybe not hearing each thought "as you had it," but maybe having heard it "since before the Universe was created."

"Would we become self-sufficient?" is nicely asked. Genesis 2 and 3 is a little ambiguous about that. "Knowledge of good and evil" is the English translation of a Hebrew idiom. It is the same phrase used to describe what is also translated as "The Wisdom of Solomon," and is apprarently accepted to be an attribute of Hebrew angels as well.

It seems that Adam and the Woman did become self-sufficient for a short time, having access both to the Life Tree, and having received the boon conferred by the Wisdom Tree. God didn't like that, and deprived them of future access to the Life Tree to restore an acceptable (to him) situation.

Apparently the trick is to have wisdom, flesh, and immortality in that flesh. Having any two out of three appears fine: Adam and the Woman (first given flesh and immortality, later allowed to keep wisdom and flesh), Solomon (given wisdom when he already had mortal flesh) and angels (wisdom and immortality, no flesh).

To have all three appears possible (in the sense of the Hebrew God's acquiescence; I don't know whether it could actually happen): Jesus, Adam and the Woman until God directly intervened, and maybe the righteous after a general resurrection.

What is the situation of someone who has wisdom, flesh and immortality? I'll take the Hebrew God's word for it. That would God-likeness. So, design-a-god? Mine's been done already, at least implicitly: a being who combined wisdom, flesh and immortality.

In closing, I would like to add that while that sounds like it would be great fun, maybe not. R.D. Laing, in his Politics of Experience, edits the report of the artist Jesse Watkins who experienced a psychotic break. In his vision, Watkins was shown what it would be like to be this sort of god... but what came with the "power and glory" was the obligation to serve a term as sustainer of the Universe. That, it turned out, was a demanding job, even for a god.

The moral of the story, then, may be "Be careful what you wish for."

-

Originally posted by AQuestion
I will disagree with you on something, I do care about every atom in my body, it only takes one going bad to have cancer. Regardless of that, every sentient thing matters to me (and I am not a vegetarian). As for how you say the world be different, you say wouldn't have to fight over things, we don't have to fight now, we chose to. The next statement you made regarding what we would know, would knowing the truth in advance limit our free will and self teaching?

That raises something interesting, for you who believe what "Christians" are and what think, I have homeless person living on my couch, talk to Satanists and am a second dad to a "sex worker". When you have done the same then you can tell me what an aXX I am for believing there is a God. I used to have five homeless people in my house' but, I lost the house because of a divorce.

Hi and thanks,

I used to care about the body, but then as the years go by and you see enough of life as humans have been living it for so many millenia.. you tend to get tired and start desiring to "go home". Although I would definately miss Nature.

You asked an excellent question:- "..would knowing the truth in advance limit our free will and self teaching?"

I think No.

With decision making we can only assess possibilities and probabilities, and we know even those outcomes can vary. And I think the freeness of our will is limited to some extent anyway to what the Soul desired to Experience in Human life... you know, like when we make a Vacation Itinerary with everything on it we want to do, including free time to choose as we go, etc.

Self teaching.. now you got me thinking.

No again. For me, all that we learn about ourselves as humans comes from observing ourselves, noting if we React or if we Choose Action, noticing how we respond in each moment with various people, noticing how we stand or fall under pressure.. and if we get back up and keep going, noticing how we love and detest and for what reasons.

So all those things would still apply because as aware beings we would be observing ourselves in order to grow, making more effective choices in Each Moment not only for ourselves but also for the whole, etc.

Well.. at lest that's my simplisitic view of it

To your last paragraph.. I love it when people hide nothing.. warts and all is the best way to go foreward in Total Honesty. And I love people who do because those people have much to share that we can all learn from.

Firstly, to not have any Fear of how other's will React in their own lack of Self-Mastery. How groups will define you, place you in a pidgeon hole without ever Knowing you.. and thus miss out on what you have to share with them.

But mostly, because in doing as you have you showed yourself to be a real Human Being.. Authentic. Someone who is not being overtly Judgemental of others... and that is something to Honor. So many people forget we are all human, that we all stumble and fall at times, we all have failings.. for want of a better term.. and we all learn from these things about ourselves.. I would hope, lol.

Be well.

Originally posted by Tayesin

With decision making we can only assess possibilities and probabilities, and we know even those outcomes can vary. And I think the freeness of our will is limited to some extent anyway to what the Soul desired to Experience in Human life... you know, like when we make a Vacation Itinerary with everything on it we want to do, including free time to choose as we go, etc.

No again. For me, all that we learn about ourselves as humans comes from observing ourselves, noting if we React or if we Choose Action, noticing how we respond in each moment with various people, noticing how we stand or fall under pressure.. and if we get back up and keep going, noticing how we love and detest and for what reasons.

Thank you for your kind words. I also liked that you thought out your answers. I think I believe we have more free will than you do. I see us as choosing more than observing the effect of our choices. If I know for a certainy the impact of my choices then life is boring, if I learn from my choices what the consequences can be but there is some uncertainty then I gain wisdom and can use that learning in new areas.

I play tournament Texas No Limit poker, there is always an element of risk. The fact that you have someone dead to rights, know what they have and know the odds, you can still be surprised. I have had people badly bet where only one card in the deck can help then and they get it, the odds are insane; but, I keep coming back to the game because there is that element of risk.

I don't think I am explaining myself well, sorry. I think free will allows us to grow more than knowing the answers would. The process of learning itself is valuable. I think learning to learn is more important than what we learn, over time we will learn the best answers and eternity is plenty of time. I will think about it and possibly try and explain myself later. Be well.

I would like a God who respect personal decisions as long as they do not hurt anybody else, a God who can accept the fact that some people just won't believe, a God who understands that people just want to be happy.
I would also love if he does not interfere in things that are possible to people, "You take care of the possible, and let God do the impossible".

Originally posted by mbartelsm
I would like a God who respect personal decisions as long as they do not hurt anybody else, a God who can accept the fact that some people just won't believe, a God who understands that people just want to be happy.
I would also love if he does not interfere in things that are possible to people, "You take care of the possible, and let God do the impossible".

Firstly, thank you for answering the question that I asked, too many want to ignore the questions and just give an opinion on religion. You stated that you would would like a God who respected personal decisions as long as they didn't hurt anyone else. Later you state that you want one who takes care of the impossible rather than the possible. Here is my question, is it possible for us to stop hurting one another or does that require God to get involved and do the impossible?

Now as i have read your posts before I will ask another question. Why don't you believe God accepts the fact that not all believe, why do you think he doesnt understand that people like to be happy and the fact that he does not interfere in our lives? Put another way, if there is a God, doesn't the world work the way you said you want him to let it work? This should make you happy, there or may not be a God; but, if there is then he is the kind that you just asked for. Be well.

Originally posted by TripleSalCal
I believe the Creator has left us to develop mostly on our own. We are given our own choices and must make many decisions both good and bad. The Creator allows us to do much on Earth without interfering. Unfortunately mankind is not always just and moral. In many cases we are ugly and evil. It is up to the individual to try and live the best life they can, the one that makes them happy. If they decide to be "good", then they are rewarded, whether in this life or the next. The "bad" shall be punished for their transgression in this human life. That's the gist of what I believe anyways.

I like that, TripleSalCal. I am a Deist of sorts myself. The way I see it we all are all creator god/goddesses in training. As we awaken, one by one, we move on to bigger better things. The human experience, the having of a soul, is the main attraction of planet Earth, this is why it is so rare to find a planet such as this.
The planet herself is alive, and sentient, She Mothers over all of us. The Father is the Sun, he provides all of the power needed, and the mother distributes it wisely. They are not to be worshiped, and no religions needed for them either. We really need to work on our own selves. Attaining an enlightened state of being takes a long time, but the end result is you get to move on. To go forth, and create life, and all that it entails. Within your DNA is all the coding for not only you, your body as you are now, but healthy, 30ish. The reality in the next dimension is this: whatever you think, is reality. Immediately. Earth life has a built in lag in the creation process, for instance, it takes a human being 9 months to gestate into a fully formed human. Surely at our highest level, we too could create life in human form. And a world for them. and everything they needed to live and work. Do you see where this is going?

I would want God that has no concept of hate, greed or jelousy...

Originally posted by Akragon
I would want God that has no concept of hate, greed or jelousy...

That is an interesting answer, you want a God that doesn't understand us. Perhaps I misunderstood and you have no hate, greed or jealousy. I have experienced them all. I don't wish to give up what I have already learned from, have you or did you not experience them. This presents an interesting problem. If you experienced them then you have said you want a God that doesn't understand you. If you have experienced them, do you believed he should punish you because he doesn't understand how the wrong feelings you had led you to be the person you are now?

Perhaps I misunderstood again, I reading what you said again, maybe you meant you wanted a God that did not allow us to have hate, greed or jealousy. Hmmmm. No free will, a God that doesn't believe in free will. I am not good with that, I would rather have free will. I am sorry, and you are welcome to your beliefs; but, I don't like either of the Gods that you may have proposed. I like free will and I like that he understands us. Be well.

reply to post by AQuestion


Clearly you misunderstand...

If those feelings didn't exist in society, we would have a perfect world. If you think of God as everything and everyone, and those feelings didn't exist in God, they wouldn't exist in anyone.

Everyone would love each other of their own free will, because we would all understand that we are all part of the one which is God. There would be no wars, there would be no conflict. Our species would help one another without asking for anything in return. There would be no starving people in the world.

I could go on and on but...after reading your response im wondering if you're asking people what their ideal God is to try to correct them? Considering i wrote one line and you had so much to say about it...

If you experienced them then you have said you want a God that doesn't understand you...

Nonsence...

If you have experienced them, do you believed he should punish you because he doesn't understand how the wrong feelings you had led you to be the person you are now?

what? Why would God punish me?

You're starting to get amusing...

I reading what you said again, maybe you meant you wanted a God that did not allow us to have hate, greed or jealousy. Hmmmm. No free will,

???
What does free will have to do with anything? Are you saying you like these emotions? You willfully want to be greedy and hateful?

You're losing me...

I don't like either of the Gods that you may have proposed. I like free will and I like that he understands us.

So you actually made this thread to critique other peoples ideal God...

hmm...

gl man...